City News

Council Member Stacy Berry Represents Cypress During League of California Cities' Policy Committee Meetings in Sacramento

Post Date:01/23/2017 8:58 am

Last week, Jan. 19, Council Member Stacy Berry represented the city of Cypress in Sacramento at the League of California Cities’ first policy committee meetings in 2017. Berry serves on the Community Services Committee, which is integral to the League’s policy-making process.

“Cypress benefits from the League’s policy committees because we are able to discuss issues that will affect our budgets and shape future policies at the state and local levels. Without these meetings, our influence on the state’s decisions would be greatly diminished,” said Berry.

The Committee heard from Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) regarding AB 18 and set their strategic goals for the upcoming year.

“These meetings provide an opportunity for city officials to learn about statewide proposals affecting California cities and have their voices heard by the League and translated into direct advocacy efforts,” said League Executive Director Carolyn Coleman.

There are seven standing League policy committees including Community Services, Governance, Transparency and Labor Relations, Environmental Quality, Housing, Community and Economic Development, Public Safety, Revenue and Taxation, and Transportation, Communications, and Public Works. These committees evaluate proposed legislation as it related to existing policy and make recommendations for legislation where the League currently does not have policy.

The League's policy-making process allows the issues facing California cities to be debated and the organization's policy directions to be established. Close to 400 city officials serve on the League's policy committees and add their collective expertise, wisdom and opinions to the policy debate that is the foundation of League policy. The recommendations from the policy committee are forwarded to the League board of directors.

Following the January meetings in Sacramento, the League’s policy committees will meet March 30-31 in Ontario, June 8-9 in Sacramento and in September during the League’s annual conference in Sacramento as needed.

Established in 1898, the League of California Cities is a nonprofit statewide association that advocates for cities with the state and federal governments and provides education and training services to elected and appointed city officials.